Two Canadian soldiers charged in death of colleague in Afghanistan

OTTAWA — Two Canadian soldiers have been charged with manslaughter in the death of Cpl. Joshua Caleb Baker.

In a statement released Wednesday, the Department of National Defence said that following an investigation by the Canadian Forces, Maj. Darryl Watts and Warrant Officer Paul Ravensdale face six charges and five alternate charges each in relation to the death of Baker and the injury of four other soldiers.

The incident occurred on a training range in Afghanistan on Feb. 12, 2010.

The 24-year-old Edmonton-based reservist died in an explosion during a “routine” training exercise at a range four kilometres north of Kandahar City.

Daniel Menard, who was then the commander of Canadian troops in Afghanistan, described the training at the time as “normal for soldiers in theatre”and “essential in helping them to maintain high levels on expertise.”

The military was particularly tight-lipped about the death at the time.

On Wednesday, officials announced the charges against Watts and Ravensdale, which include manslaughter, four counts of unlawfully causing bodily harm and negligent performance of a military duty. In the alternative to manslaughter, the soldiers would be charged with the lesser offence of death by criminal negligence and in the alternative to unlawfully causing bodily harm, they would be charged with causing bodily harm by criminal negligence.

“It is alleged that the proper safety procedures were not followed during the training exercise. The case will now proceed through the military justice system,”Defence Department officials said in a news release.

Following the incident in Afghanistan, the Canadian Forces National Investigation Service, the independent policing unit for the military, was called in to investigate the death and injuries.

Now that the charges have been laid, they will proceed through the military justice system, spokeswoman Capt. Karina Holder told Postmedia News. The charges will have to be approved and then may be sent to a court martial.

The officers face six charges and five alternate charges, meaning that the officers will not be charged under all 11.

“It is a serious charge and it’s a tragic situation,” Holder said. “Thankfully these types of charges are rare.”

She said the last time the CFNIS laid a manslaughter charge was in 2007. Cpl. Matthew Wilcox was charged in the death of Cpl. Kevin Megeney. That court martial process is ongoing, Holder said.

Holder said Baker’s family has been informed and requested privacy.

Baker’s death was the first time in eight years that a Canadian was killed during a training accident in Afghanistan.

Fellow soldiers described Baker as a tough and strong natural leader with a “laugh rumoured to cure cancer.”

Baker, who served with the Loyal Edmonton Regiment, was the 140th Canadian soldier and ninth reservist to be killed in Afghanistan. Now 157 soldiers have died.

Once regarded as weekend soldiers, the reservists now make up between 10 and 20 per cent of every rotation and perform many key jobs, as the regular forces have been stretched thin by repeated deployments in Afghanistan and Canada’s military obligations elsewhere.